Ben Affleck Might Not Be in ‘The Batman,’ Reportedly Exiting the DCEU Very Soon

It looks like Ben Affleck’s Bat-days may be numbered — and more than you might think. Not only is the actor unlikely to appear in The Batman, but a new report reveals that he’s on the verge of exiting the DCEU entirely. The news comes as not much of a shock following Affleck’s departure from the helm of the upcoming solo movie, for which he was replaced by War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves.

Although Reeves has said that Affleck would remain in the title role for The Batman, a new THR report reveals a completely different story. Sources tell the trade that Warner Bros. is currently plotting Affleck’s exit from the DCEU, but they want to do so “gracefully, addressing the change in some shape or form in one of the upcoming DC films.” Whether that means casting a new Bruce Wayne or finding a new protagonist to take up the Bat-mantle remains to be seen.

In a statement to THR, WB studio chief Toby Emmerich maintains, “Ben is our Batman. We love him as Batman. We want to keep him in the cowl as long as we can.” But according to at least one knowledgeable source, Affleck is most likely dropping out of the solo Batman movie. Again, not entirely surprising news given recent developments in the DCEU, which is currently experiencing a potentially beneficial creative shift.

Joss Whedon is overseeing extensive reshoots on Justice League after Zack Snyder stepped down from post-production. And when Reeves replaced Affleck at the helm of The Batman, he tossed out the script Affleck co-wrote with Geoff Johns. Reeves is said to have a vision for a whole new trilogy of Batman films, but if WB is plotting Affleck’s exit, it seems like they’d want him out before the first movie goes into production. (THR has some additional thoughts on why that is, and they are…unkind…to say the least.)

Despite reshoots, Affleck has already filmed his role in Justice League, which hits theaters on November 17, but it may be the actor’s final appearance as the Caped Crusader.